Giles Terera to star in Sammy Davis Jr musical at Lyric Hammersmith

Giles Terera will take on the title role in new Sammy Davis Jr musical Sammy.

Based on the life and career of the legendary entertainer, Sammy, The Sammy Davis Jr Musical will open at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, London in summer 2021.

Olivier Award winning actor Giles Terera (Hamilton) leads the cast as Sammy.

Written by Leslie Bricusse, his long-time collaborator, and directed by Clarke Peters (Five Guys Named Moe), Sammy is a celebration of the life of a friend, an entertainer and a legend.

Terera said: “I am excited and very honoured to finally be bringing Sammy Davis Jr’s incredible story to fresh new audiences. His triumphs and struggles speak to me and inspire me today more than ever.”

Peters said: “Sammy was so important to me growing up, we all aspired to be him. But his influence on us as African American men was questionable. I’m delighted that we will be taking audiences on this journey with us, exploring the life and enduring legacy of this complicated but phenomenal entertainer through Leslie’s great love letter to his friend and collaborator Sammy Davis Jr.”

A teaser of the production reads: “At a young age Sammy set his sights on stardom and never looked back. From humble beginnings he shot to fame as a member of The Rat Pack and navigated the racial politics of 60s America to eventually become one of the great performers of the 20th century.

“Packed full of his iconic songs including ‘The Candy Man’, ‘What Kind of Fool Am I?’ and ‘Feeling Good’ performed by a live band, this untold story of talent, prejudice, love and legacy finally takes centre stage.”

Sammy, The Sammy Davis Jr Musical plays the Lyric Hammersmith in 2021 with exact dates to be confirmed – tickets on sale now.